Footsteps sounded and the door swung open.
My heart skipped a beat.
In the doorway stood the man I’d met on the beach.
Matteo Borgia.
I took a step back involuntarily.
“You’re… you’re the captain of this ship?”
The man smiled.
“Yes.”
He opened the door wider and gestured for me to step inside. I found myself rooted to the spot. He held out his hand. I shook it after a pause. I looked around his cabin, nervous. The room was lined with shelves filled with books, and maps covered the wooden walls. There was a large window fixed to the side of the wall, though the blinds were drawn to keep the sun out.
He wore a freshly starched white shirt rolled up to his elbows and black shorts that stretched down below his knees. I wanted to walk right out of his cabin—hell, jump off the ship. Suddenly, being back in that town square seemed more appealing than being on the same boat as Natalie’s brother. Each time he looked my way, daggers of guilt pierced through me.
Now that I’d come face to face with him again, the resemblance really was unmistakable. I saw Natalie in his eyes, and to think he might have not found out about his own sister’s death due to being in a different realm made me feel sick to my stomach.
“Take a seat, Kiev. Make yourself comfortable. And welcome aboard. Saira did mention to me in passing that you have become the newest member of our crew. And what a surprise it was! I certainly hadn’t been expecting to see you again.”
I gulped and took a seat opposite his mahogany desk.
“Are you thirsty?” He indicated a jug of blood that was perched on a shelf. I could already smell that it was fish blood. I had been thirsty a few moments before stepping into his office. Now, all thirst had vanished.
I shook my head.
He poured a glass for himself and sat down behind his desk.
“What can I do for you?”
“I… I’m looking for Saira.”
“Why do you need her?”
“She put me up in the wrong room."
“Saira is busy now. But if you need a new room I’m sure that I can assist.”
He finished his blood, then got up and opened one of his desk drawers, pulled out a ring of keys and walked toward the door. He opened the door and courteously stepped aside, letting me step out first. I obliged and once we were walking down the corridor toward—I wasn’t even sure where—he began speaking again.
“Saira told me about the incident in the town square. Narrow escape, huh?”
My stomach formed in knots.
“Yes…”
“What got you into so much trouble?” He asked the question casually but I could detect a hint of curiosity in his voice, perhaps even mistrust.
“A man attacked me in the bar. I retaliated in self defense.”
“I see.” He nodded. “Yes. Violence against another inhabitant is the most serious form of crime on that island. It doesn’t matter how it was instigated. Some people see the rule as foolish and unfair, whereas others recognize that it’s required. You get all sorts passing through that place. They have to rule the inhabitants with an iron fist or else it would be chaos and the purpose of the island would be defeated.”
We continued walking down the corridor and once we reached the end, he opened a door and led us down to the level below. We stopped outside a door. He unlocked it and walked inside, drawing the blinds to block out the sun. It was a decent-sized cabin—larger than Mona’s—with a small shower room en suite.
I turned to Matteo and said “Thank you,” hoping that he’d now turn around and leave.
He placed some keys on the small dressing table and said, “Once again, nice to see you, Kiev. I’ll tell Saira to come down and find you once she’s finished her tasks.”
He beamed another smile at me before backing out of the room and closing the door behind him.
Chapter 18: Kiev
I lay in bed and looked up at the ceiling. I couldn’t stop thinking about Matteo. I wondered how long I might end up staying on that ship. As he was the captain—the most prominent member aboard—it wasn’t like I could easily hide from or avoid him. Being forced to face him each day, memories of that bloody night resurfacing in my mind each time our eyes met, was something I wasn’t sure I could handle.
But I had no alternative. At least for now.
Hours passed as I lost myself in thought. I lifted the blinds and realized that night had fallen. Thunder rolled overhead and rain pattered against the glass. As I got up to leave the cabin to stretch my legs, the deafening ringing of a bell echoed from outside. The boat shuddered so violently that I almost lost balance. The lantern in my cabin swung off its hook and smashed on the ground, splinters of glass sent digging into my ankles. I reached the window and looked out. The thick rain made it impossible for me to see far.
The ringing faded away into the distance and once the rocking stopped, I stepped out of my room. A dozen others had done the same, including a werewolf in the cabin next to mine.
“What was that?” I asked.
His eyes were wide with alarm.
“The Black Bell,” he whispered back.
“What?”
Ignoring my question, he dashed down the corridor. Everyone around me shared the same look of fear. I followed the direction he was heading in, toward the upper deck.
When I arrived, crowds of vampires and werewolves had gathered in the rain, most of them standing at the stern, looking out at the ocean. I spotted Saira crouching down on the floor near the helm. She looked up at me as I approached.
“What happened?” I asked.
“We had to, uh, change course.”
“Why?”
“To avoid The Black Bell.” She spoke as though I should understand what on earth she was talking about. When she saw me looking at her blankly, she continued, “It’s a ship of pirates the likes of which you don’t ever want to find yourself colliding with. We didn’t notice them coming in this weather. The dolphins had to swerve quickly.”
“What kind of pirates?”
“They’re vampires. But everything is under control now. You can go back down to your room with everyone else.”
Her words sent curiosity burning through me. I wanted to ask her more about these vampires. I wondered if I had ever met them during my time with the Elders. But she didn’t give me a chance. As soon as she’d spoken the last sentence she hurried away. I scanned the deck for anyone else I could approach about the incident, but the crowds were now dispersing, everyone returning back to their rooms for the night.
I walked over to the edge of the deck and, holding onto the railing, gazed out at the dark ocean. Still failing to see signs of any distant ship, I prowled around on the deck for a while longer before descending again to the lower levels. I’d return to my cabin and attempt to gain more information the next day.
However, once I’d reached my level, I caught sight of Mona walking barefoot toward me. She wore a thin nightdress that fell just above her knees. As soon as she caught sight of me, she did a one-eighty and began walking full speed in the opposite direction.
“Wait,” I called.
Mona started to run. I hurried forward until I’d caught up with her. I stood in front of her, blocking her way so she had no choice but to stop.
“What?” She kept her eyes on the wooden floorboards.
“What do you know about The Black Bell?”
“Why?” she muttered.
“I just want to know.” We were only a few doors away from my cabin. I caught hold of her hand and pulled her toward my door.
“Don’t touch me!”
Ignoring her, I pushed her down into a chair, closed the door and then took a seat on my bed. I guessed that if she was sitting down rather than standing in the corridor outside she’d give me a fuller answer. I looked at her expectantly.
“So, tell me.”
“Why should I?” she spat.
&nb
sp; “Because I asked you to,” I growled. Her refusal to obey me was beginning to make me question her safety around me again.
“I owe you nothing, vampire.” Sitting forward in her chair, she looked at me defiantly. “You’ve picked the wrong girl to try to intimidate.”
She stood up and slapped me across the face. Then she exited my cabin, slamming the door behind her with such force that the floor shook.
I felt stunned that she would have dared even attempt such a thing, much less do it. My entire body trembled to chase her down. I wanted to punish her, maim her for her insolence. I wanted to see her suffer. But somehow, I found within me the strength to remain still as her footsteps disappeared down the corridor.
It felt like another blackout might take hold of me and I would have no choice but to run after her. If that happened, I would end her life. I tried to take deep breaths. I lay back on the bed and gripped the sheets, closing my eyes.
I opened them again only after a few hours, once my rage had subsided and my mind was cool enough to have coherent thoughts. I played the scene that had just passed over in my head. In the heat of her presence, I’d only been capable of seeing faults in her behavior. I’d only been able to see her disobedience to my will.
But now that she was gone, the sickness of my own actions hit me full force.
Her slap had shaken something in me.
Why did I feel so much rage?
What right do I have to demand anything of her?
Is this really the man I want to be?
Chapter 19: Mona
We arrived back at our island the following evening. Since we’d returned earlier than expected and the sun was still setting, the vampires used the straw umbrellas we kept on the ship at all times to avoid getting struck by the sun.
Once I’d scanned the beach for Kiev, I let the crowd walk up ahead of me, trailing behind. We walked along the outskirts of the wall we’d built around the island for about a quarter of a mile until we reached the large iron gate that served as our entrance.
Matteo knocked. It creaked open after several minutes. I was the last to enter and was greeted by Brett, our resident ogre. Brett and I were the only residents of the island who weren’t vampires or werewolves.
“All right, Mona?” He smiled warmly, wrinkles forming in his dark leathery skin around his eyes. “Good to see you all back safely.”
He locked the gate behind me. “Has there been a lot of trouble since we left?” I asked.
“Just the usual. We had some more attempted break-ins. But we managed to head them off.”
I sighed, though at least things hadn’t gotten worse since we’d been away.
Apparently, before us, the island had never been occupied before. We’d been told it was because it was too dangerous, being right at the juncture of the islands that made up Triquetra—an area renowned for the most notorious of pirates. But we’d taken the chance because even this seemed better than the fate we’d been heading for with all of us crammed together on the ship.
I walked away from the gate and entered the circular clearing just before the entrance to the woods. Still careful to stray behind the others, I made my way along the dirt path. After about a mile, the vampires parted from the werewolves. They all descended into the entrance of an underground tunnel.
Although the island was thick with broad-leaved trees, the shade they provided wasn’t sufficient for the vampires to live comfortably above ground. They needed somewhere cooler and darker to live. We’d had to carve out caves underground for them to stay in during the day, while the werewolves kept watch. At night, the vampires could move easily around the island, and it was their turn to guard.
Soon after the vampires had strayed away from the path, the werewolves up ahead were greeted by another group of werewolves who’d stayed back from our trip to The Cove to take care of the island. They emerged from the shade of the trees, some calling out the names of loved ones and embracing. We walked through the forest until we reached another clearing at the center of the island. Just a few meters away was a lake. It was surrounding this lake that the werewolves had made their homes. When we’d first arrived they’d decided it was best for their homes to be built up in the trees. Having wild animals on the island was both a blessing and a curse; without them, we wouldn’t have had as much choice of food, yet they also proved to be a great annoyance.
As for myself, I’d wanted to be more isolated from the rest of them. I recognized that I couldn’t have my home on the ground either. I’d debated for a while about having my home up in the trees along with the werewolves, and I’d even tried it at one point. But I found the atmosphere too stifling. I needed my own space. Saira and Matteo had granted my request and helped build a wooden house on stilts right in the middle of the lake. It consisted only of one room—containing a bed, a cooking area, a table and a chair—and a bathroom. I enjoyed the solitude it gave me. And being in the center of the island, surrounded by creatures much stronger than me, I felt safe.
Once a day I visited the mainland to fill up my water bucket from the well, because I didn’t like the taste of water stored in my cabin for more than a day. But other than that, my home was self-sustaining. The fish and water plants I found in the lake were all I needed for food.
Moving away from the crowd before Saira spotted me, I walked down to the bank of the lake. I was relieved to see my old rowing boat where I had left it. I had insisted that there only be one boat kept in the lake—mine. This ensured that nobody ever disturbed me unless it was about something important, because they had to get wet in order to reach me.
I climbed into the boat, grabbed hold of the oars and began rowing. I was itching to feel the covers of my bed around me again. To relish the silence that my lake house afforded me. If it weren’t for it, I would have gone mad long ago. I didn’t know how I had managed to survive until we found the island. Living on the ship full-time and being surrounded by crowds of creatures all milling about in such a small space… The island truly had been a Godsend. And not just for me. For all of us. The vampires and werewolves used to be tripping over themselves. And while that still happened, inevitably, it was a rarer occurrence.
As I neared the center of the lake, my little cabin came into view. The red wood near the roof had developed an excess of moss, but that was nothing that some scrubbing wouldn’t fix. Each of the five large windows would also need washing. I smiled when I saw that the blue lilies I had planted around the stilts supporting the cabin had multiplied and were now in full bloom. Overall, I was relieved to see that my home appeared in no worse a state than I had left it in.
I climbed out of the boat and onto the small wooden platform leading to my front door. Before going inside, I took a moment to look around at the calm waters. The beauty and serenity of the lake never failed to take my breath away.
It felt like being on my own island. An island within an island.
But, even with these surroundings, I couldn’t say that my life was happy. Or fulfilling.
It was merely survivable.
Chapter 20: Kiev
As the sun set, I followed the group of vampires into a circular hole that had been dug into the forest’s undergrowth. It resembled the gaping entrance of a cave. There wasn’t even a door.
My opinion of the vampires’ accommodations didn’t improve on entering. We walked into a cavern that split off into various dark passageways. The walls, ceilings, and ground were made of dirt. Unsurprisingly, the whole place smelled of damp soil.
I followed a few vampires down one of the passageways. Lanterns lined the walls at intervals, which confused me because as vampires we didn’t need them. I supposed that it was just to add a touch of civilization, so we wouldn’t feel like animals living in this burrow.
As I walked down the corridor, I peeked into the rooms whose doors were open. Rooms was a generous description. They were almost entirely bare—and of course windowless—except for thin straw mattresses on the ground and a few pers
onal belongings.
I wondered to myself whether the werewolves’ residences were any better. Somehow, I doubted it. The accommodations here were a far cry from what I’d grown accustomed to over the centuries. Still, as long as I had a room to myself, I wasn’t about to complain.
I didn’t know where Saira had gone, and I had no idea which room was to be mine. I walked around the passageways for a while, looking for someone to approach. I caught sight of Lorena, the attractive female vampire I’d asked for directions from back on the ship. I’d already guessed what her answer to my question would be before I had asked it.
“Didn’t Saira tell you she meant for you to share my room?”
I looked at her, unamused. She chuckled at her own joke before saying in a more serious tone, “I don’t know. I’m surprised she didn’t already assign you one. You should ask the captain. I can show you his room, if you want?”
I shook my head. I didn’t want to have to seek him out for anything if I could possibly avoid it.
“No, I’ll figure it out,” I said.
I continued walking along the passageways. Eventually, I found myself alone. I decided my best option was to seek out Saira. I made my way back to the central area of the tunnels and climbed the slope leading out into the night’s fresh air.
I didn’t have to walk long before a wolf came bounding toward me.
“Sorry, Kiev,” Saira panted. “I became occupied with other matters.”
“I need to know which room I should be stay—”
“Yes, yes. I know. But before I get you settled down, I need to discuss something with you. Care to take a walk?” She gestured toward the forest with her paw.
“I suppose so,” I said.
It felt odd walking alongside her during her transformation. Her walking on four paws meant I was constantly having to talk down at her.
She led me away from the tunnels and deeper into the forest. I took in the atmosphere as we walked in silence beneath the towering trees. Now that it was dark, I realized how much this place reminded me of The Shade. Sofia’s island. A wave of nostalgia flooded over me. The snaking pathways, the tree houses, the distant lulling of the waves against the shore… everything brought back memories of the visits I’d made to that magnificent island. Although, of course, The Shade’s lavish penthouses and other obscene luxuries were nonexistent here. Still, in the early years of The Shade’s development, the Novak clan hadn’t started out with much more to work with than what was currently here on this island.